AFRICA/NIGERIA - Erection of the new dioceses of Gboko and Katsina-Ala and appointment of the first Bishops

Wednesday, 2 January 2013

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI on December 29, 2012, erected two new Dioceses of Gboko and Katsina-Ala, in Nigeria, with territory taken from the diocese of Makurdi, making it suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Abuja. The Holy Father appointed His Exc. Mgr. William Avenya, Titular Bishop of Tucca of Mauretania and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Makurdi as the first Bishop of Gboko. Instead, Rev. Peter Iornzuul Adoboh, of the clergy of Makurdi, Parish priest and Dean of the deanery of Adikpo was appointed the first Bishop of Katsina-Ala.
The new diocese of Gboko (nom. lat. Gboken/sis/), will be composed of seven civil districts of Gboko, Buruku, Kwande, Ushongo, Vandeikya, Tarka and Konshisha. Instead, the new Diocese of Katsina-Ala (nom. lat. Katsinen (sis) - Alen (sis), will be composed of three civil districts of Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum. The two new ecclesiastical Circumscriptions are both suffragan of the Archdiocese of Abuja. The Cathedral Church of the new Circumscription of Gboko will be the Church of St. John the Baptist in Gboko. Instead, the parish church dedicated to St. Gerald of Majella, in Katsina-Ala, will become the Cathedral Church for the Diocese of Katsina-Ala.
Rev. Peter Iornzuul Adoboh, the first Bishop-elect of Katsina-Ala, was born on April 14, 1958, in Tse-Kucha in the Gboko Goverment Area, Benue State, Diocese of Makurdi. After attending local schools, in 1978, he joined the St. Augustine Major Seminary in Jos, where he studied Philosophy and Theology (1978-1984). He was ordained a priest on June 30, 1984 for the Diocese of Makurdi. After ordination he has held the following positions: 1984-1985: Parish Vicar of Christ the King Parish in Vandeikya; 1985-1986: Assistant pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Zaki-Biam; 1986-1987: Vice Rector at St. James Minor Seminary in Aliade; 1987-1988: Studies Spirituality at the Institute of St. Anselm, in England; 1988-2001: Professor and Spiritual Director at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary, in Makurdi. From 1993 to 1995 he studied Spirituality also at the Toronto School of Theology, in Canada; 2001-2004: Pastor of St. Luck's Parish, in Kubwa, in the Archdiocese of Abuja; 2004-2009: Pastor of St. Anne's Parish, Adikpo. Since 2009 he has been Pastor at St. Winfred Parish, Ihugh and Dean of the deanery of Adikpo. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 02/01/2013)


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